The Christmas Star
by Jilsen
Summary: Frank and Callie, AU, short story. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: This is a short story - 3 chapters long. It is an AU. I felt it worked better with Frank and Callie as opposed to Frank and Nancy. I love either pairing._

* * *

Callie gently placed the baby in the car seat. Eva was three weeks old and this was her first Christmas. She was dressed in a cozy, fleece onesie and a knit cap. Callie covered the baby with a soft, flannel blanket and tucked the edges into the car seat. No harsh wind would touch her precious daughter.

Callie was still in awe of the miniature human she and Frank had created. Eva was the most beautiful baby ever with the tiniest toes and fingers and the cutest little bow mouth. Of course, Callie might be a bit bias in her opinion. What mother wasn't?

Callie let out a heartfelt sigh. She gazed upon her sleeping baby and the delicate black lashes resting against her small, creamy cheeks. Callie had thought she knew what love was, real love. Eva had proved her wrong. The love Callie felt for her child was overwhelming. It was more powerful than any force in the universe. It was so powerful that at times, it hurt. Physically hurt. At night when Callie watched Eva sleeping in her crib, she thought her heart would burst. Her heart simply could not contain all the love she held for her daughter. Her joy and happiness knew no bounds.

Frank appeared in the doorway. "The suitcases are in the car and it's warmed up inside."

Callie looked over at her husband of two years. He was a good man and a wonderful father. Undying love shone in his eyes. Love for her and Eva. Callie's life was blessed and she knew it.

"I just have to get the diaper bag and my purse," Callie said.

Frank walked over to the sofa and smiled down at his daughter. A small, perfect human, sleeping peacefully. "I'll take Eva to the car and get her car seat buckled in," he said.

Callie smiled to herself. Frank grabbed every precious moment he could to be with his daughter.

"Thanks," Callie said. "I'll check the house and lock up and then we're on our way."

On their way to Bayport to see both sets of parents. Parents who now claimed the coveted title of grandparents. Eva was the first grandchild for both sets.

Callie grabbed the diaper bag from the bedroom and checked that it held all the necessary supplies for a newborn. _My, but babies required a lot of stuff_. _And I wouldn't have it any other way_ , Callie thought. She was now a proud diaper bag toting mommy. Oh, she knew how lucky she was. She had a beautiful baby girl and was fortunate enough to be able to stay home and care for her child.

Callie's job as a freelance journalist for the local newspaper allowed her the freedom to work from home. Frank was a police officer on the small force in the small town in which they lived. His hours were fixed. He worked 8 to 5 Monday through Friday and had the occasional weekend shift. The work wasn't challenging and Callie knew Frank would soon outgrow the job. Then they would move to a bigger town with a bigger police force. For now though, Frank said he was getting his feet wet. As for Callie, she was getting used to being a wife and a mother. Their small town afforded her the time and space to ease into both. It also afforded Callie and Frank a comfortable distance from their parents. They weren't too far away and not too close. That allowed Callie and Frank to have a life of their own and to learn to depend on themselves. Of course, if an emergency occurred, their parents were only four hours away.

Callie checked the house, made sure all the lights were off, and scooped her purse off the coffee table in the living room. She took one last look around the modest home she and Frank had bought and decorated. There were touches of both of them in the furnishings and pictures on the wall. Their Christmas tree stood in the corner looking forlorn. In some ways, Callie wished she and Frank and little Eva were staying here and spending their first Christmas as a family alone, yet together.

 _Not going to happen this year_ , Callie told herself. Eva was a big attraction and if Callie and Frank were not driving to Bayport to be with the grandparents, the grandparents would be driving to Callie and Frank.

Callie inserted the key in the lock and locked the door. The air was bitterly cold and she wished she had put on her gloves. She looked up at the metal gray sky and tiny snowflakes pelted her cheeks. Thank goodness, Frank had warmed up the car before putting Eva inside it.

# # # #

Daisy brushed a strand of gray hair from her face and looked out the kitchen window. Her gaze traveled over the snow covered fields and to the snow gathering on the roof of the barn. Mark her words, they were in for a freeze tonight. Daisy had lived long enough to know such things without listening to the weatherman.

And Daisy knew her farm. She had been born and raised here. Married her husband Anson here. After her parents died, she had inherited the farm and all the acreage that came with it. Daisy had known great joy and great sorrow on this land. All part of the inevitable cycle of life. The good Lord giveth and the good Lord taketh away.

Daisy saw Anson coming back from the barn. She had sent him out there to check on the animals. He was her rock and had loved her deeply for over forty-five years. He had shared in the joys and sorrows of life right along with her. She saw the wind tug at his coat and hat. He would be cold. She went to the stove and turned the flame on under the tea kettle. Anson deserved a hot cup of tea.

# # # #

Anson hung his coat and hat on the hooks inside the back door. He heard the kettle whistle and grinned. Daisy took good care of him. At times, she seemed to know what he wanted or needed before he did. He sat on the wooden bench and removed his snowy, muddy boots and set them on the bristle rug to dry. They were in for a storm tonight. Daisy had told him so this morning. He never questioned her about her 'predictions' as he called them. All he knew was, she was rarely wrong.

Daisy handed him a cup of tea as soon as he entered the kitchen. "I thought you'd like a hot cup of tea," she said. "It looks cold out there."

"It is." He nodded and took the tea. The cup warmed his icy hands nicely.

"Dinner's close to being ready. Another thirty minutes."

Daisy had a roast going in the oven and it smelled heavenly. Fresh rolls were on the counter waiting their turn in the oven.

Daisy took two plates out of the cupboard and set them on the table. "You gave the animals extra hay?"

Anson sipped his tea. It was sweetened with honey and cinnamon. "Yes and I refilled all their water troughs, too. Not a one of them will go hungry or thirsty tonight." He watched his wife gather silverware and napkins and place them on the table beside the plates.

"It's going to freeze tonight," Daisy said not making eye contact with her husband. Instead, she checked the rolls.

Anson knew she was avoiding eye contact with him. After forty-five years together, he knew her ways and her moods. There was something on her mind, something she didn't want to discuss with him, something she felt he wouldn't understand. Although, given a chance, he was sure he would.

 _Give me a chance. Please_.

They had shared their lives together here. Built a home and worked the land together. They had experienced joy and regret .. together .. side by side. Whatever was on Daisy's mind, whatever had her fretful, Anson felt certain he would understand it … if only she gave him a chance.

# # # #

Frank was officially worried. The sun was setting, the temperature was dropping, and the snow was coming down in big, fat flakes and beginning to gather on the road. Road conditions were worsening by the minute. Frank was going a measly thirty miles an hour. A trip that was supposed to take four hours had now stretched to five and counting.

Callie was in the back seat. She had just finished nursing Eva and was tucking the sleepy baby back in her car seat.

Frank used the rearview mirror to check on Callie and Eva. They were the two most precious things in his life. It was his duty to protect them from harm and danger. Right now, the weather posed a huge danger to all of them. Frank had come to the realization that he and Callie would not reach Bayport tonight. Not with the snow like this. It was too dangerous to be on the road. Frank needed to find a hotel. He and his little family could continue on to Bayport in the morning, road conditions permitting.

"Oh my God," Callie said from the back seat.

Frank's gaze flickered to the rearview mirror. He saw the concern in Callie's eyes as she stared out the windows, gaping at the falling snow. The snow had increased its fury while Callie had nursed Eva. It was coming down thick and furious now.

"Frank, can you even see the road?"

"Barely," he admitted and figured he might as well give her the rest of the bad news. "We need to find a hotel, Cal. I'm sorry, but we're not going to make it to Bayport tonight. Not in weather like this. It's too dangerous."

In the rearview mirror, Frank saw Callie's face fall, but she quickly recovered. "I'll see what my phone says about hotels."

"Thanks." Frank was relieved to have Callie focus on finding them a hotel. That left him free to concentrate on the road and the drifting snow.

# # # #

A dejected Frank walked back to the car, opened the door, and got in. The car was dark and the air cooling fast. He pulled off his knit cap and tossed it on the passenger's seat. "They're full," he told Callie. This was the second hotel to turn them away. "I argued with the desk clerk. I told her we have a baby and asked if we could spend the night in the lobby. I offered to pay her."

Frank felt Callie's eyes on him, waiting for the answer.

"She said no." Frank felt the crushing weight of those words. "But she did say there's a Bed and Breakfast about twenty-five miles down the road. She wrote down the directions." Frank pulled a piece of paper from his jacket pocket and passed it to Callie in the back seat.

Callie took the paper and powered up her phone. The phone's light allowed her to read the directions. When she finished, she lifted her head and looked at Frank. "It's not that far. Twenty-five miles."

"That could take another hour or hour and a half in this weather," Frank warned her.

Callie laid her phone on the seat and adjusted the blanket covering Eva. Callie wanted her baby in a warm, cozy room on a warm, cozy bed. "I'm okay with that, if we find a room." There was a calm acceptance in her voice. "Do we have enough gas to make it there?"

Frank grimaced. So, Callie had noticed. "We should look for a gas station," he said.

# # # #

The gas station was closed. Locked up tight. The lights were on, but nobody was home. The Bed and Breakfast had been closed, too. Closed for the season, the sign had said. How could the hotel clerk not have known that?

Things were becoming desperate. Frank turned to Callie in the back seat. The glow from the gas station's lights filtered into the car, revealing the scene in the back seat. Little Eva was fussing and Callie was trying everything she could to calm the baby.

The poor thing had spent over six hours in a car seat instead of her crib, or on her mat on the living room floor. This wasn't a typical day for Eva.

Frank drew in a breath, released it, and delivered devastating news. "Cal, we have to consider the option of spending the night in the car. We're almost out of gas."

"What?" Callie thought of how cramped her legs were and how sick she was of being in the car. It had been close to seven hours now. Of course, the alternative of freezing to death made the car look like a four star hotel. "Do we have enough gas to run the heater all night?"

Frank averted his gaze. There in lay the problem. Heat. And gas. Gasoline was needed in order to run the car and, therefore, heat the car. Frank shifted his gaze back to Callie. "No. We're almost out of gas. I'd have to be very careful with running the heater. I'm thinking you and Eva can bed down in the back and I'll stay awake so I can turn the car on and off throughout the night. If we can make it to morning …"

"Someone is bound to find us once it's daylight," Callie finished.

"Exactly. This gas station should open up by seven or eight in the morning. That's twelve hours from now."

The car was turned off at the moment and already, Frank felt the cold seeping in. His feet were numb. Could they survive the cold for twelve hours? They didn't have any blankets in the car. No bottled water or food. Poor planning on Frank's part and he blamed himself entirely for their situation.

You should have considered the weather, he scolded himself.

Callie's voice brought him out of his funk. "Can you hold Eva? I want to check the restroom. With any luck, it'll be unlocked."

Frank gladly took the squirming baby and cooed to her. She seemed to brighten at the sound of daddy's deep voice.

Callie zipped up her jacket, pulled the hood over her head, and wrapped a scarf around her neck. When she opened the door, Frank felt the frigid air sweep in. He watched Callie walk through the falling snow and to the building. Lights illuminated the outside of the building. Callie disappeared from sight for several minutes and then reappeared.

"Any luck?" Frank asked when Callie was finally settled in the passenger's seat beside him.

"The women's room was locked, but the men's room was open. It wasn't very clean, and the water was ice cold, but it had a toilet." Callie gave Frank a weak smile.

They sat in the car, bundled in their jackets, for an hour. They called their parents and informed them they would not be arriving tonight. Frank and Callie lied and said they had found a hotel to stay in. Neither person wanted their parents worrying about them and the baby, not this close to Christmas Eve.

They entertained Eva as best they could and discussed walking around, searching for a nearby house, maybe a friendly couple would take them in for the night. However, from what they could see through the rapidly falling snow, the gas station was isolated.

The wind increased and buffeted the car. Walking anywhere, for any length of time, was now out of the question. Frank had to turn the car on and, thus, the heater, more often than he liked. They were going to have to endure the cold for longer periods if they didn't want to run out of gas.

Another hour passed. The car grew colder and Callie grew more anxious. Frank could see it in the nervous bounce of her leg. Eva was snug and warm in Frank's arms. He had her tucked in under his jacket, providing her extra heat. She was perfection. Her little bow mouth made sucking motions. She was a sleeping angel that he never tired of looking at, but she was in danger. Frank racked his brain for a solution to their problem.

"I have to get out and stretch," Callie suddenly said. "I can't take sitting in this car another minute."

Frank sympathized. His lower back had begun to ache from sitting so long, but he dreaded Callie opening the door. It would let precious warm air escape.

"I won't take long," Callie said. "I just need to stretch and move." Her eyes pleaded for understanding.

"I understand," Frank said. "Don't go far." Compassion and love shone on his face.

# # # #

Callie put her hood over her head and exited the car quickly. She shut the door softly so as not to wake Eva and crammed her gloved hands in her jacket pockets. The wind snatched at loose tendrils of hair and flattened them across Callie's face. The cold bite at her cheeks and she thought about rushing back into the car. The temperature difference between outside and inside was significant.

Callie used a gloved hand to brush the wayward strands of hair off her face and wandered around the gas station parking lot. She looked to the heavens. All she saw was snow, a vicious whirl of gusting snow. She searched beyond the gas station, beyond this little world that she and Frank had inhabited for the past two hours. What lay in the distance?

And then she saw it. A light on a pole, or a tall building, shining like a star in the night.

Safety and shelter lay beneath that light. Callie somehow knew it and hurried back to the car.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The wind moaned and hissed outside as they sat at the dinner table, eating in silence. The roast was moist and tender and melted in Anson's mouth. Daisy was an excellent cook and kept him well fed. He used a roll to sop up the last of the broth.

Daisy finished first because she had put less food on her plate. She laid her fork and knife on her plate along with her napkin and looked over at Anson. "Would you like a cup of hot chocolate?"

Anson lifted a bushy eyebrow. "Do you have some of your homemade whipped cream to go with it?"

A hint of a smile played on Daisy's lips and Anson felt ridiculously happy. It was so rare to see Daisy smile, especially at the holidays.

"Yes," she said and pushed back from the table. "I made some this morning, just for you."

As she picked up her plate and silverware, Anson decided to take a risk, to ask a prying question. He'd learned long ago that questions were not always welcome, especially when they pertained to Daisy's predictions, or visions, as she called them. "You knew we were in for a cold snap tonight." He made it sound like a statement hoping that would smooth the waters.

The smile vanished and the mirth that had shone in her eyes seconds ago evaporated. Oh, how a few simple words had changed her mood.

Daisy's lips pressed into a tight line as she stared at her husband. Before she could say a word, there was a loud _craaack!_

Anson was out of his chair and at the window yanking the curtains aside when they heard the _crash_.

Their feeble porch light revealed the calamity that had befallen them. A branch from their massive oak tree lay on the ground, blocking the path that led to the barn.

Daisy stared in disbelief, her hand at her chest. "Heavens. Thank goodness it fell away from the house."

"I've meant to have that tree checked," Anson chided himself. He had been lax in his duties this year. Tree inspection and maintenance had not been attended to properly. This disaster lay squarely at his feet.

Daisy's expression softened as she turned to her husband and spoke as if she had read his mind. "You do a lot around here, Anson, I appreciate all you do. But, like I've said many a time, we're getting older and we have to face facts. We might need a little extra help around here. This farm's a big place for two people to run all by themselves."

"You mean, two old people," Anson said with a coltish smile.

The hint of a smile returned to Daisy's lips and Anson's heart filled with joy.

"Okay, two old people," Daisy said. She looked out the window and her smile faded.

Anson thought he saw sorrow in Daisy's eyes. He moved closer to her and peered out the window. The branch was huge. Forty feet long and perhaps, twenty feet high. Gnarled limbs stuck out at awkward angles and poked into the surrounding rose bushes. Anson would have to chainsaw his way through the branch. There was no way he could get to the barn in the morning. Not until he had a path through, or around, the branch.

He turned to Daisy. His eyes found hers. "This is why you wanted me to take care of the animals," he said. "It's why you said to give them extra food and water. You knew I wasn't going to be able to get to them in the morning."

No, Daisy thought, this was not the vision she had seen. Or prediction, as Anson would call it. No, she had seen something entirely different and had wondered how it would be possible. Now she understood, but she would not share her thoughts or vision with Anson. She would let him think he was right about the tree branch.

"Yes," she said. "I felt something bad was going to happen tonight." This was not a complete lie and Daisy felt it was worth the slight dishonesty when she saw a small smile lift the corner of Anson's mouth.

"Well, it's not so bad," he said. "We weren't hurt and the house is still standing. Still, I'd best go out and check and see if the branch did any damage to the house. One of those smaller branches might've broken off and hit a window or taken off some of the siding."

Daisy nodded as she gathered the dinner plates. "I'll clean up the dishes and have that hot chocolate ready by the time you're back."

Anson played the beam of his flashlight over the branch and along the ground. His mind was only half on the branch. Daisy and her predictions took up the other half. He wished she would share them with him. Once upon a time, she had. If only they could get back to that time.

# # # #

Frank drove slowly down the road. It was paved, covered in snow, and filled with potholes. He had found out that last part in the most jarring of manners, hence, his now cautious driving.

Callie kept her eyes on the light shining brightly in the night. She thought of it as a Christmas star. It was a beacon of hope for her and Eva and Frank. Callie had insisted that Frank drive to the light.

"There's shelter there," she had said, her voice high and excited.

Frank had been hesitant, concerned about their low fuel. What if they got stranded on a desolate country road? Wouldn't it be better to stay at the gas station?

Callie had brushed those concerns aside and insisted that she knew in her heart that the light was meant for them. Don't ask how she knew this, she just did.

Frank had had one last request before driving toward the light. He wanted to try calling the police again. Their phone service had been iffy most of the night due to the storm. They had been fortunate to get through to their parents earlier and even those calls had been fraught with static and long moments of dead air.

Callie had acquiesced and Frank had tried his phone. No bars. No service. So, out they went into the cold dark night, heading toward a bright solitary light.

At last, they came to a gate and stopped. Frank felt the car slide in the snow and ice. Thankfully, he had applied the brakes well before the gate.

The light could be seen clearly now through gaps in the swirling snow. The light was attached to a barn and it cast a wide golden glow upon the snow covered ground.

Callie unbuckled her seatbelt. "I'll open the gate."

Frank internally debated the wisdom of this move. They would be trespassing. However, given their circumstances, whoever lived here would surely understand. Right?

Callie was out of the car, illuminated in the headlights, and dashing to the gate. The snow was several inches deep and she sank into it well above her ankles. She lifted the metal bar and pushed the gate forward. It took some doing. She had to kick the snow out of the way in several places, but finally, she got the gate open far enough for Frank to drive the car through.

While Callie closed the gate, Frank checked on Eva, sleeping peacefully in the back seat. He prayed they would find a warm place for their child. Nothing else mattered at this moment.

Callie climbed into the car, a smile on her face, her teeth chattering. "We-we can spend the night in the barn."

Frank gave her a look. "The barn won't be any warmer than the car."

"It'll have more space. We-we won't be cramped and uncomfortable," Callie countered.

Frank nodded. That much was true. He turned to the window and craned his neck. He searched the area outside. The falling snow make it impossible to see more than a few feet.

"What are you looking for?" Callie asked.

"A house," Frank said. "A house would be a lot warmer than the barn or our car. Someone must live near this barn."

"You're right." Callie was excited again. "Maybe if you drive closer to the barn we can see a house."

Frank put the car in gear and inched forward.

"Frank!" Callie gasped as a small animal bounded in front of the car.

Frank slammed on the brakes and the car slid slightly. He missed hitting the animal by a foot.

Callie leaned forward and peered through the windshield. "What was that?"

Suddenly, another animal bounded into view. It appeared to be chasing the smaller one.

"They're sheep," Frank said. "A mommy and a baby."

"Oh, how sweet," Callie said and then she noticed the barn doors. One shuddered in the wind. "Look, Frank. One of the barn doors is ajar. I think the sheep escaped. We need to herd them back in."

Frank turned off the car. It was clear they were here for the night. He wouldn't risk driving any further until morning. Plus, Callie was right, the sheep needed to be in the barn. Frank prayed the barn was warm, at least as warm as the car.

Frank and Callie bundled themselves up. It didn't take long. They were already dressed in heavy jackets, knit caps, gloves, and scarves, and tumbled out of the car. Callie trudged through the snow and up to the barn door. The second she pushed it open the lamb came running up and scooted through the opening. Its' mother followed right behind.

"That was easy," Frank said. He had envisioned a wild goose chase over the field. Mainly, him and the mother chasing the lamb around for hours.

"I'm going to check out the barn." Callie disappeared from sight before Frank could protest.

He turned in a circle, searching for house lights. Snowflakes gathered on his knit cap and shoulders and fell on his cheeks and nose. He thought he saw a light off in the distance.

Callie reappeared with a wide smile. "It's wonderful, Frank. There's a heater. We can sit by it until morning. There's even a sink with running water."

The tension that had haunted Frank for hours, ebbed away. Had they found shelter and warmth? He was almost afraid to believe it.

Callie beckoned with a gloved hand. "Come on, see for yourself."

"What about Eva?" Frank stretched an arm toward the car.

"We'll bring her, too." Callie radiated delight.

# # # #

Frank marveled at the barn, at the fact they had found it. This was all thanks to Callie. She had seen the light, her Christmas star, and had insisted they drive to it. Frank would never doubt Callie's intuition again. It had proven infallible tonight.

The barn had ten stalls. Five on one side of a wide aisle and five on the other side. Frank, carrying Eva in her car seat, walked beside Callie. The couple read the names of the animals assigned to each stall. The names were etched on wooden boards and nailed to the half doors of the stalls.

A horse named Charlie greeted the little family by moving his large head up and down and neighing.

"Nice to meet you, too," Frank said, feeling joyful. Callie's delight and happiness were contagious.

A cow named Elsie was next. She let out a soft moo, her eyes round and curious, but accepting of the strangers.

Several stalls were dedicated to sheep including the wayward lamb and his mother.

"You little scamp," Callie said as they passed his stall. She shook a gloved finger at him for good measure and smiled kindly at him. He was so cute she could never really be angry at him.

Frank and Callie walked to the source of the heat. Three large vents in the back wall. The vents were shoulder height and a long trough of hay was beneath them. Frank guessed the temperature in the barn to be around 55 degrees. Chilly but pleasant compared to the temperature outside.

We have found a home for the night, Frank thought and felt a great burden lift from his shoulders.

# # # #

Frank brought in the diaper bag and their suitcases and settled Callie and Eva near the heating vents. Callie nursed Eva, changed her diaper, and sang to her while Frank returned to the outside to explore. He wanted to find the house that went with the barn and in turn, speak to the owners. Maybe he, Callie, and Eva could spend the night in a house instead of the barn.

Callie let him go. He wasn't going to find the house tonight. She didn't tell him that partly because she didn't know how she was so sure of that. She just was. Besides, she wasn't opposed to the barn. She rather liked it. The smell of hay and animals was comforting. She liked all their sounds and grunts as they bedded down for the night. Frank, Callie, and Eva certainly were not alone on this bitterly cold night.

The barn door opened and Frank hurried inside. He shut the door, but not before a gust of arctic air swept in. Callie cradled Eva closer to her chest, providing warmth from the cold, harsh air.

Frank came and sat down on the hay bale beside Callie. He unzipped his jacket, but kept it on. He was chilled to the bone. His fingers were stiff and his feet numb. He needed a few minutes to warm up.

"I found the house," he said. His face was red from the cold and his throat raw.

"Really?" Callie put Eva on her shoulder and gently patted the baby's back.

"There's a huge tree branch blocking the path to the house." Frank eyed Callie as he spoke. "I couldn't get close to the house, but I think I saw a light in a downstairs window."

Callie appeared unconcerned.

Frank continued, "So, we're spending the night in the barn."

Callie grinned at Frank. She had known that long ago, still, it was nice they both agreed.

It was getting late. The long, stressful day had exhausted the young parents.

Frank and Callie doffed their jackets and prepared for the night ahead. Frank joined hay bales together to form a bed for him and Callie. He found a worn blanket on a hook and laid it over the bales. The bed actually looked inviting. That could be the exhaustion talking.

Callie put Eva in her car seat and went to work making a bed for her baby. Callie laid Eva's fleece blanket on top of the hay in the hay trough and pressed it down with her hands to form a nest. The trough was the perfect crib for a newborn. Callie tenderly transferred a sleeping Eva from the car seat to the hay trough. Frank handed Callie another baby blanket to cover their precious daughter. Eva would be safe and warm here, near one of the heating vents.

Callie smiled, grateful for their good fortune in finding the barn, and thankful for a loving husband and a healthy baby.

Frank pulled Callie to her feet, wrapped her in his arms, and kissed her deeply. When at last he broke the kiss, he drew back and gazed upon her face. He saw love and devotion in her eyes and hoped she could see the same reflected in his.

He brushed a strand of blonde hair over her shoulder and ran a thumb along her jaw. His voice was thick with emotion when he spoke, "Callie, you may have saved our lives tonight. Mine, yours, and Eva's. If you hadn't spotted that light and forced me to follow it, I hate to think what might have happened."

She pressed a kiss to his lips, a gesture of reassurance. She glanced down at their baby and then turned loving eyes upon Frank. "It took both of us to make a beautiful baby and it took both of us to find this barn. I couldn't have done it without you. You drove while I kept an eye on the light. I know you had your doubts about the light and driving to it, but you did as I asked. So, thank you, Frank. If not for you and your trust in me, we might not be here."

"Well, when you put it that way .." Frank didn't finish the sentence. He was too busy kissing his wife.


	3. Chapter 3

Frank checked the stalls. All the animals had plenty of water and food. Next, Frank checked the stall doors, making sure they were secure. He soon discovered how the little lamb had escaped. The area around the inside latch was chewed away so the latch didn't catch properly. A good push popped the door open. Frank remedied the situation by piling bales of hay against the door. That should keep the little fellow in his stall with his mother.

Finally, Frank dimmed the lights and returned to Callie and their hay bale bed. Callie had changed into flannel pajamas and was sitting on the edge of the 'bed' brushing her silky blonde hair. Frank sat down beside her, bent forward, and unlaced his boots. It felt incredibly good to take them off.

Callie pointed at her long, terry cloth robe lying at the foot of the bed. "Our blanket."

"Good idea," Frank said and then yawned. Fatigue had settled in his bones. He was ready to lie down beside his wife and hold her in his arms. He watched her, watched as she dropped her hairbrush in her purse and came back to the bed. She was a vision of loveliness. Of magic and light. Her waist was slightly thick. She hadn't lost all of the baby weight. It made her all the more beautiful in his eyes. It reminded him of all the changes her body had gone through while carrying _their_ baby and delivering her into the world. It was an astounding feat and Callie had done it all with grace and beauty. Frank was simply in awe of her.

Frank changed into a sweat suit, climbed into bed, and pulled the robe over them. He made sure it covered Callie more than himself. Her warmth was more important than his. He piled their jackets on top of them, too.

Callie turned on her side and he turned with her, draping an arm around her waist and burying his nose in her hair. She smelled of shampoo and hay and baby.

"Callie, did you drink all the water in the water bottle I brought in?" Frank had found a bottle of water in the car. He tried to keep one in the car as part of his emergency kit and was happy to have found this one. Neither he nor Callie had had any water in hours. Callie was nursing a baby. There was a real possibly she could become dehydrated.

"Yes," she answered softly. "I drank every drop."

"Good." He kissed her hair and snuggled closer, giving her his warmth and love.

He had drank a handful of water from the old sink. The water tasted fine. Frank figured that if the animals could drink it then so he could. He didn't think it would kill him.

The night passed in a series of ups and downs. Callie and Frank took turns checking on Eva every hour or so. The rise and fall of her tiny chest and her rosy cheeks, was a Godsent joy to behold each time. Frank longed to sit by the trough and watch Eva sleep until morning, but fatigue forced him back to bed and Callie's warm body.

Eva woke them at five and Frank brought her to their bed and nestled her between them.

Callie nursed the baby and dozed. Eva suckled and dozed. Frank lay on his back thinking of all the things he needed to do once the sun rose. Finding food was at the top of the list. His and Callie's last meal was at breakfast yesterday morning.

At six-thirty he slipped out of bed – stomach grumbling – and put on his boots, jacket, and cap. He took clothes from his suitcase and piled them along the edge of the bed, creating a cushy wall so Eva wouldn't roll off of the bed. Then he pulled on his gloves and walked down the aisle between the stalls. He checked on the animals as he went. Charlie the horse and Elsie the cow were at their hay troughs.

Frank felt a nudge on his pant leg, looked down, and smiled. The little lamb stood by his side, seeming quite pleased with himself. _Look at me, I got out of my stall_.

"How in the world …" Frank's gaze darted to the hay bales he had stacked up last night. There was a gap between them and the door of the lamb's stall. "You're quite the escape artist, aren't you? You're like Harry Houdini." Frank noted the lamb did not yet have a name printed on the door. His mother's name was there, Suzy, but nothing for the lamb. "When I meet whoever lives here I'm going to suggest they name you Harry. What do you think about that?"

The lamb stared at Frank for a second. His mother bleated inside the stall, begging her son to return. The lamb paid her no heed and turned to walk away.

"Oh, no you don't." Frank used his booted feet and gloved hands to shoo the lamb back into his stall. The mother was relieved, the lamb disgruntled and he whined his displeasure. Frank pushed the hay bales up against the door and adjusted the latch. "Well, that ought to hold you until I return."

# # # #

Anson was up before first light. That tree branch had to be dealt with. Daisy got up with him and dressed in heavy clothes. She was anxious to get to the barn, but she did not tell Anson this. First, he had to cut a path through the branch and that could be dangerous work.

Anson hurried to the garage to get the chainsaw and gas can while Daisy made a large pot of coffee. Something warm to drink would be welcome on this brisk morn.

Daisy opened the curtains over the kitchen sink and peered through the frosted window. Sunlight was just beginning to brighten the landscape. The branch loomed to the right. It was a huge mass of shattered, snow covered limbs. The snow glistened and sparkled in the dawn's glow.

Anson and Daisy were soon outside, bundled in their thickest jackets and caps. Anson cut branches into manageable sizes and Daisy stacked them on the porch. The wood would be used in their living room fireplace.

Daisy and Anson worked steadily and efficiently for over an hour. Little by little the branch was reduced to sawdust and firewood. Daisy's thoughts, however, were not on the branch as they worked. Her thoughts were on the barn. She gathered several pieces of wood from the ground, carried them to the porch, and placed them on the growing stacks of wood. As Daisy started down the porch steps, she glanced in the direction of the barn, and gasped. The branch no longer impeded her view and in the distance she saw a man. A young man she guessed by his walk.

"Anson," she said, "we have company." She pointed in the direction of the barn and the approaching man.

Anson lifted his head and eyed the young man. Anson saw a car parked outside of the barn and wondered how long it had been there. Had to have been a long time as it was covered in snow.

# # # #

Callie placed Eva gently in the hay trough and dressed quickly. Frank had been gone a while. Had he found the owners of this barn?

Callie sat on a hay bale by the trough and talked softly to her baby. Eva was awake and looking around. Her movements were uncoordinated and jerky. Callie smiled when one small fist found Eva's mouth and she tried to suckle it.

Callie heard the barn door creak open and turned her head, expecting to see Frank. Instead, Callie saw an older woman who stared at her in wonder.

# # # #

Callie sat in the toasty warm kitchen, sipping a cup of herbal tea. Eva was in her arms. Frank and Anson were outside, cutting the last of the tree branch. The roar of the chainsaw invaded the calm of the kitchen.

"Thank you again," Callie said to her hostess. Callie couldn't quite figure Daisy out. The woman was kind and welcoming, but reserved as though she was keeping her emotions under tight control.

Daisy was at the stove, making eggs and bacon. The aroma made Callie's mouth water.

Daisy turned her head slightly and gave Callie a small, sad smile. "I'm glad you found the barn and took refuge in it."

Callie felt the woman truly meant what she said, yet, something about Daisy troubled Callie.

# # # #

As she stirred the eggs, Daisy thought about her vision. It had been correct. Perfect in every detail. Daisy had found a woman and a babe in the barn as the vision foretold. The scene had been wondrous; a radiant, blonde woman leaning over the manager, a sweet smile on her face for the babe wiggling contently on the hay.

If only … Oh, if only …

# # # #

The men came in red-faced and blowing on their cold hands. They had stripped off their outerwear and boots in the mudroom.

The branch was gone, Anson announced and patted Frank's shoulder. "Thanks for your help, young man."

"It's the least I could do," Frank said, his focus shifting to Callie sitting at the wooden table, Eva in her lap. "Callie and I are grateful we found your barn. It was the barn light that led us to it. The light was so bright, it was like a star in the night."

Anson froze and his gaze darted to Daisy's stiff back. He drew in a breath, realizing the room had gone deadly silent. Something had to be said. His reaction had made everyone uncomfortable. He smiled pleasantly at Frank. "The light was Daisy's idea. She insisted I put it up high this year." His wary gaze flickered to Daisy and he saw her give a slight nod. "She, um, she had a feeling we were in for a hard winter this year. Looks like she was right. That storm last night dumped six inches of snow on us."

# # # #

Daisy served the breakfast. Generous portions of eggs and bacon with homemade bread and homemade jams. Callie, eager to eat, had trouble filling her plate and juggling a squirming Eva.

"May I hold her while you eat?" Daisy's question started Callie.

Callie hesitated, somewhat apprehensive. What about this woman made her feel that way?

Frank gave Callie a nod as if to say, Let her hold the baby. We're all right here. It's fine.

Callie lifted Eva off her shoulder and handed her to Daisy. "Yes, here. If she's too wiggly, I'll take her back. She hasn't been around a lot of people yet."

Daisy took the baby carefully, cradled her in her arms, and smiled down upon her. "There, there little one."

To Callie's astonishment, Eva relaxed instantly. Her little fist found her mouth again and she sucked on it.

"What's her name?" Daisy did not take her eyes off of the precious baby in her arms.

Callie scooped up a forkful of eggs. "Eva."

"From the Hebrew," Daisy said, "meaning 'life.'"

"Yes." Callie looked at Daisy intently and realized she had misjudged the woman. There was nothing to fear from Daisy. On the contrary, Daisy's expression held great sadness. Callie averted his gaze and ate her breakfast, thankful to have both hands free to do so. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Daisy brush a tear from her cheek.

# # # #

Anson used the snowplow on the front of his truck to clear the lane so Frank and Callie could leave. Now, the two couples stood next to Frank and Callie's car. The air was bitterly cold so Eva was wrapped in a heavy blanket and snuggled in Callie's arms.

Frank was telling Anson about the lamb. "He's a great escape artist. You should name him Harry for Harry Houdini."

Anson laughed. "I should. There's been more than one morning that I've found him outside the barn, wandering about."

The couples hugged and said good-bye. The young couple would forever be grateful for the kindness and generosity they had received. The old couple would forever be grateful for the youth and true love they had seen.

# # # #

Frank's younger brother, Joe, sat on the sofa in the family room of his parents' home. A fire crackled in the fireplace, Eva was asleep on a blanket on his lap, and he was lost in the wonder of the small human.

Frank poked his head in the room, saw he brother, and entered. "Ahh, so here's where you've been hiding with my daughter."

Joe lifted his head and gave his brother a smile. "I can't take my eyes off of her. She's so tiny and cute."

"Yeah, she is pretty cute." Frank sat next to his brother and eyed his daughter affectionately.

"How'd you and Callie make such a beautiful baby?"

Frank shot his brother a look and a laugh. "You really want to know how we made a baby?"

Joe winced. He'd walked right into that one. "No, no, no. I know how to make a baby." He chuckled softly. "I just meant you and Callie did a great job on Eva. She's perfect in every way."

It was Frank's turn to chuckle softly. "Maybe not so perfect when she wakes us up at three in the morning."

"Yeah, maybe not then," Joe agreed.

Fenton Hardy poked his head in the room, turned to someone in the hall and said, "They're in here."

Frank and Joe looked up as their father, Fenton, and Callie's father, Charles, entered the room.

"Okay," Fenton said to Joe, "hand her over. Its' time for the grandpas to hold the baby."

"She's my only granddaughter, so I should hold her first," Charles said.

Fenton looked at him like he was not too bright. "She's my only granddaughter, too."

A broad smile split Charles' face. "Yeah, but I said it first."

Joe rose off the sofa, Eva and her blanket in his arms. "Okay, no fighting you two. We still have Christmas dinner to get through." He handed the baby to Charles and watched as the two grandfathers bowed their heads over the baby. Just like him, they couldn't get enough of her.

# # # #

Callie and Frank arrived home late on December 27th. Christmas had been wonderful and hectic. She and Frank had spent one night at his parents' house and one night at her parents' house. Had to keep everything equal and fair. Plenty of time had been spent with family and friends, talking and catching up on babies and marriages. There had been tons of food, lots of pictures taken, and enormous good cheer.

But through all the chaos – good chaos – Callie's thoughts had often wandered to Daisy. Callie had sensed the sadness surrounding the woman and wanted to know more about it.

Callie decided she would investigate. She started her search after Frank went to work the next day. Callie's freelance job at the local newspaper gave her access to files and records and old newspapers. It took several weeks, but Callie found her answer.

One evening at the end of January, Frank and Callie sat at the dining room table enjoying a quiet meal.

"I uncovered some information on Daisy and Anson," Callie said. "I've been looking through old newspapers and such."

"Oh?" One dark brow rose in question.

"It's a sad story," Callie cautioned. Frank nodded that he was prepared to hear it and Callie continued, "Daisy and Anson had a daughter named Emily. She was married and had a daughter named Emma. Emily, her husband, and Emma were killed in a car accident on Christmas Eve thirty years ago."

"That's horrible." Frank was truly aghast at this news.

"I've kept in touch with Daisy and sent her pictures of Eva," Callie said, her voice low. "Daisy seems to enjoy them. Her letters to me are very touching and she always thanks me profusely for the pictures."

Frank considered for a moment then said, "Perhaps, Eva brought joy back to Daisy's life."

"Perhaps, she did." Callie sincerely hoped so.

# # # #

Daisy opened the envelope and looked at the latest picture of Eva. What a precious child.

 _Eva. Life. Thank you, Callie for sending this picture. Thank you for saving my life_.

Daisy had lived too long in the shadow of grief. For thirty years she had mourned the death of her daughter, granddaughter, and son-in-law. She had worn her grief like a shield and it had worked. She had kept the outside world out. Even Anson. Her dear, sweet Anson. He had weathered the brunt of her pain, enduring in silence for many years.

Daisy had resented him in the early years. He'd been able to get over his grief – or seemed to. _How could he?_ Daisy wanted him to wallow in grief as she did. But he didn't. He carried on living and tried desperately to bring her with him.

"Emily wouldn't want you to lock yourself up in the house like this," Anson would say when Daisy got in one of her moods.

How could Daisy explain to Anson that it wasn't just her grief? It was her guilt. She had not had a vision about the accident. Her gift had failed her when she needed it most. Anger over this failure had threatened, at times, to consume her.

Now, she realized she had been selfish. She had wanted her gift to help her and her family. If it couldn't do that, what good was it?

Daisy shook her head. She had been so selfish and narrow minded, thinking the gift was meant only for her and her family. The gift worked when God deemed it should. That was the lesson. And God had called Emily, Emma, and their son-in-law to Heaven for reasons only he knew.

Perhaps, as Anson said all those years ago, they were too good for this earth.

# # # #

One year later on Christmas Eve, Frank and Callie stopped by Daisy and Anson's home on their way to Bayport. It was a brief visit with new friends. Daisy was overjoyed to see Eva pulling up on furniture and babbling dada. Anson took the family to the barn to see the lamb who wasn't a lamb anymore. The name Harry was printed on his stall.

"He still tries to break out at night," Anson said with a laugh.

Frank, Callie, and Eva patted Harry's head. Frank and Callie looked around the barn, remembering the night a year ago. It was a good memory. One that would be with them all the days of their lives.

Daisy sent the family on their way with homemade breads and jams. There was enough to share with Frank's family and Callie's.

After dinner that evening, Anson started a fire in the fireplace and Daisy settled in her favorite chair with a basket of knitting. She gazed at the fire and at the photo on the mantel. The latest picture of Frank, Callie, and Eva. Daisy smiled to herself. Life was for the living. That had been a hard lesson to learn, but she had finally learned it.

Anson placed a glass of wine on the end table beside Daisy.

Surprised, she looked up at him. "Wine?"

Anson shrugged. "Why not? It's Christmas Eve and we've got a lot to be thankful for."

Daisy put down her knitting, took the wine in one hand and stood. She clinked her glass softly with Anson's. "You're right." Her eyes were misty. "I love you, Anson."

"I love you, too, Daisy girl."

Neither couple, the old nor the young, saw the star shining brightly in the night sky. It twinkled and glittered and spread its loving light upon the land.

* * *

 _A/N: Thank you kindly for the reviews. Your reviews have meant so much to me and I hope this story has touched your heart in some small way. Merry Christmas to all and to all, a very Happy New Year!_


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